Related Stories

Right-hander Brandon Morrow, who has been on the disabled list since June 12 with a left oblique strain, could make his return to the Jays at the end of this homestand. Morrow is scheduled to make what is hoped to be a final rehab start on Tuesday with double-A New Hampshire, That should put him in line to start Sunday, Aug. 19. vs. Texas.

“We’re looking at 65-70 pitches his next outing,” manager John Farrell said. “Let’s say he throws 70 pitches his next outing. When you bring him back to this level, you are asking from him an awful lot more in terms of stress to each pitch. We wouldn’t increase the pitch count (from 70) his first time back here. With the additional pitcher we’re carrying right now, we can handle that.”

When Morrow returns, Farrell said he’s going with a five-man rotation “initially.”

Initially? So a six-man rotation is a possibility?

“After what we’ve seen this year, anything’s a possibility,” Farrell said, clouding the issue.

GOMES STRUGGLES

Few of the Jays produced at the plate on their 2-8 west coast road trip but some struggled more than others. One of those was right-handed hitting Yan Gomes who went 0-for-14. In the 10 games in which he has appeared in since being recalled from Las Vegas, Gomes is batting .107 (3-for-28).

“The thing that is a little elusive for him right now is because he has more than normal the amount of movement in his swing — a high hand set along with a leg kick. There’s a lot that he’s got to time up,” Farrell said. “When he came up earlier in the year, against the Mets, during that interleague stretch, he was a little more consistent with that. Of late when he’s not gotten regular at-bats, it’s compounded it a little bit more.”

On the season, Gomes, in 27 games — 66 at-bats — is hitting .167 with three doubles, three home runs and 10 RBIs. He hasn’t helped himself by being patient either as he has walked just four times against 23 strikeouts.

NEW ARRIVAL

The Jays have gone back to an eight-man bullpen with the arrival of right-handed reliever David Carpenter, who was part of the 10-player deal that the Jays conducted with Houston on July 10. Carpenter said that he’s basically a two-pitch pitcher who comes at hitters with a four-seam fastball and slider.

His role with the Jays should be in the middle innings as the Jays revamped bullpen sports a number of more experienced arms that can handle the final three innings of a game.

“Power to his fastball, a good slider, the ability to control the running game,” Farrell said of Carpenter, ticking off his assets. “Power stuff.”

WAIVER CLAIM

The Jays picked up another pitcher from the Houston Astros organization on Friday when they claimed RHP Juan Abreu off waivers and optioned him to triple-A Las Vegas.

Abreu, 27, has appeared in 38 games for Oklahoma City in the Pacific Coast League, posting a 2-3 record with a 7.09 ERA. To make room on the 40-man roster, RHP Scott Richmond of Langley, B.C., was designated for assignment.